Walking With A Ghost
by GeorgiaFranchot
Summary: Title inspired by Tegan and Sara, Draco and Hermione are plummeted into Nazi Germany to test out new Time Turners. Mature rating for violence and sexual themes.
1. Assignment

_Author's Note: This is set in the 6__th__ year, but Draco is not a Death Eater and has not been given any missions by Voldemort, and there will be time travelling involved. Let me know what you think (:  
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Having rested rather well last night post train journey to Hogwarts last night, Hermione was feeling quite content. It was a weekday, which meant lessons first thing. As the owl post created a smattering of feathers all over the Great Hall, one rather out of the ordinary bird landed right in front of the girl, who had been patiently telling Ron, as if he were a child, "Ron; if you eat your banana that fast then you're going to choke."

He however continued to deep throat the banana. "What? I'm hungry."

When the owl butted her elbow in a persevering fashion, Hermione looked right into the striking creature's face, and gently took the fresh parchment out of its beak, replacing it with hot buttered toast. The owl consumed said toast and hooted thankfully, before taking off.

"Blimey, Hermione, what is it?" the one with the glasses prodded. Curiosity abound, the two boys stared resolutely until the slightly unnerved girl opened the folded parchment.

_Miss Granger,_

_Salutations to you, I have a request. Please find your way to my office as soon as you finish reading this letter._

_Ever so sincerely,  
>Professor Dumbledore.<br>P.S. I enjoy Licorice Wands._

"That's the password." Harry muttered, sounding almost_ jealous_ that it wasn't him receiving indistinct summons to the headmaster's office.

"What did you do Hermione, take too many subjects?" Ron sarcastically suggested, and then he really did choke on his banana.

"I have neither dropped nor added anymore subjects. I don't know what it's about, but I'll catch up with you later, okay?" Hermione replied brusquely, and headed in that very direction that she had been pointed in.

The problem became all too clear after she uttered the password and walked in. Her eyes narrowed, and her small feminine mouth was agape with horror.

"Malfoy!"

"Nice face, Granger." He smirked.

"Good morning, Miss Granger." Dumbledore nodded amiably at the Gryffindor, who was clearly knocked for six. She mumbled something unintelligible by way of a reply.

"Now, the reason you two have been summoned here us because as the brightest girl and boy in your year, I would like you to participate in a little project." the headmaster lilted in a slight accent.

"There's just one problem sir-I don't _like_ Granger." Malfoy protested. If looks could kill, then Hermione Granger would most certainly be deader than a dead thing in Dead Land.

She decided to be more polite in her explanation. "Me and Malfoy aren't really famous for getting on, despite the interhouse co operation encouragement…how are we supposed to work together productively? There's so much history there."

"Ah, history." Dumbledore beamed, which surprised the pair. "An excellent subject, wouldn't you agree?" he took out a sherbet lemon from a nearby bowl and popped it in his mouth.

Hermione mumbled a passive yes, whilst Malfoy snorted. "Don't go getting all infatuated, Granger."

"What did you say?" she raised her eyebrows.

"Well, I can't imagine even a girl of your, ahem, 'type' being able to resist me."

"Come again?"

"Well, you can't deny I have the body of a god."

"Right," she agreed. "Buddha."

Dumbledore chuckled in appreciation, startling her.

"Why do _we_ need to do this anyway? If Granger does something wrong, we'll have to say it was the Dark Lord and he planned it all along." Malfoy complained.

"Malfoy, this is the twenty first century. You can't just cock up and blame it on the Death Eaters." Hermione pointed out.

"Well what are we supposed to do? We're meant to know what we're doing and be dignified! I mean, good lord we're British aren't we?" he became the slightest bit flustered, almost as if he wanted to pace but needed to ask Dumbledore permission. He refrained.

"You're not, you're German." she muttered, thinking him and Hitler would have made a fine couple.

"Ah…" Dumbledore began. Hermione blushed, he smiled and said to the both of them, "Nobody will ever win the battle of the sexes. There's too much fraternising with the enemy."

Malfoy smirked knowingly then. Hermione strived not to shudder.

"Now, your project will take place over the whole school year, so you will be able to postpone your other studies."

Blank confusion swept over the teenagers' faces. Dumbledore elaborated, "You've heard of the new time turners, I assume?"

Even Malfoy was impressed now. "We're going to experience genuine history?"

"Yes."

"Which time period?" Hermione chipped in.

"1943, mid February in Nazi Germany."

She gasped: World War 2 was a fascinating period, but to actually experience the time…

"There are going to be a few minor changes: you will stay the same age but you're going to inherit the ability to speak fluent German, which will also be your nationality in your papers. "

He let the pair take this in. A whole new identity each. Hermione was named Hanna, and Malfoy was going to be Max.

"You will be provided with the correct time period clothing, and you will be staying in a building with a couple of other teenagers. It is safe there and you will be warm, but you will have to take care of yourselves and each other. When you address each other, it will sound like your actual names, Draco and Hermione. Luckily to others it will sound exactly like Max Riem and Hanna Mets, due to various charms. Keep note of how everything works around you. These new time turners are still to be wrapped around the two of you, but it will act rather like Apparating, transporting you not only to the correct location but time. Have you any questions?"

Draco appeared to have one. "When are we to embark upon this mission?"  
>"In two days. You may prepare and tell only those close to you what exactly you may be doing; to the others you are simply testing something out for me. Is that understood? I have complete faith in you." The headmaster gazed over his half moon spectacles over the shuffling teenagers who nodded quickly and quietly. Dismissal soon occurred, and once they were together in the corridor, alone, Hermione broke the silence.<p>

"Can I just clarify here and now that whether we are spending a year together or not, I never have and never will understand why you find yourself so damn attractive."

"My sense of humour: That's what makes me so attractive." And then he actually _winked_ at her. She snorted in disbelief, and simply turned away.

A year with the person she disliked most. Brilliant…


	2. Best of British

That was one war started. Hermione would soon be in another. Once dismissed, she rushed right up to the Gryffindor girls' bedroom. Sunlight was painting the walls but the soon to be seventeen year old was shivering. Gripping her arms until little white finger marks appeared, a shiver bit at her spine.

Draco was beyond tears, left to that bleak place in his mind where pain can have no expression, where all emotion and feeling have been turned off to protect the fragile mentality. He knew that there was nothing shameful in his stoic manner, but a part of him felt guilty for not crying more—as though all his hours of crying had not been enough. In his mind, it _wasn't_ enough. Many in his position would cry for days on end when being told that once he was seventeen, he would _join them_. And then there was the sheer, utter unadulterated relief that he could avoid his parents completely and utterly for a year. It wasn't with the best of company, but even at eleven years old he knew he couldn't be friends with the Granger girl. If he had extended his hand to her as he had done Potter, he would have just signed his own contract to his very own execution.

They were both about to fall in headfirst, wondering how to break it to their loved ones. Hermione soon stood up carefully and let a shaky breath be born from her bitten lips. She cautiously composed a letter to her parents, and then began to walk towards the owlery.

Draco on the other hand, wrote a very terse and short letter saying he was on a mission with 'a girl I don't know at all' to his father, and a separate letter to his mother who he cared a great deal more for and would be more personal with. She was his confidant. "Dumbledore has suggested that I and the Granger girl try out the new Time Turners, we're going to Munich in Germany I believe, in the 1940s. She's a curious girl but I don't know how it's going to turn out at all. Don't let father hurt you. Take care."

Then, to tell their friends. Draco and Hermione ended up ultimately crashing into each other at lunch time in the Great Hall. He nodded over at Ron, who was viciously tearing a chicken leg apart. "When redheads attack!"

Hermione edged away from the tall boy with haste; why was he even talking to her? Today was a day where she just did not want to summon up the willpower to even smile. It would take more than just a little while to adjust to this new arrangement. Speaking to each other in civilised tones.

Words pour from her mouth, stinging him like acid. So different from before, from the sweet words she said to her best friends. His face scrunches up in a momentary scowl, and then Draco stalks away to his own table as she slides onto her bench, where Ron was still gnashing at the chicken and Harry was peeling apart a ham sandwich to check no mustard was in.

"Wath was tha' bou' 'Mione?" Ron mumbles through his food.

"What was what about? Draco? Oh, yeah, I'll tell you about that once you've eaten so you don't bloody choke. You've got free periods next, yes? Come to the common room with me after."

Then they looked up.

"Are you dating_ Malfoy_?"  
>"Oh my god, you're pregnant aren't you!"<p>

"Did he use Imperio? We'll get you to Madam Pomfrey—"

"Guys, guys. No. I am not dating Draco, nor am I with child and he hasn't attempted to use the Imperius curse on me for anything at all."

The two boys perceived her to be completely aware of what she was saying and took her word for it. They then proceeded to eat their lunch far too fast whilst Hermione slowly chewed her way through a cheese sandwich. Ron then leapt up and took her by the wrist. "Come on then!"

"Honestly Ronald, there's no need to rush-" she replied shakily. There was a pang in her chest, making it difficult to breathe. It had just fully hit her. She was going to spend a year working with Draco Malfoy and she was ready to guess she wouldn't be able to contact her best friends. And what about her _schoolwork_? Hermione supposed she'd have to take folders and files with her. It was the only way, she could hardly slip up now she was going to begin studying for her NEWTS, after only just receiving the top OWL results. All O's, obviously.

And yet, she had just been plonked down on a cushy red sofa, expected to break this news.

She swallowed, as the words ran away from her mind. They didn't want to present themselves. Hermione mentally held a couple of phrases in a tight fist, and threw them in the general direction of the boys.

"I've got a project to do. All year. You won't be able to…see me, as such."

Harry's brow furrowed. Even his scar crumpled in confusion. "What?"

"There's new Time Turners…I'm going to travel to the 1940's. Nazi Germany. I'm the brightest female in our year and I'll be with the brightest male, too. For the year."

"Nazi what?" Ron looked bewildered, just as Harry's visage creased with fretfulness.

"Who might that be? It'll be so dangerous."  
>"Ron, basically there was a Muggle war and a man called Hitler, a bit like Voldemort. Harry'll explain. And well…it's Draco Malfoy."<p>

If Ronald had been consuming anything, it would have been spat straight out, whereas Harry seemed to tense. "No."  
>"Yes, Harry. You can't change anything, I'm essentially going to test the Time Turners with him and be back next year." The words to her sounded foreign.<p>

"But Malfoy's a complete _dickhead!_" Ron expostulated. The Chosen One nodded furiously in agreement. "What if he kills you, Hermione? What then? _His father is a Death Eater._"

An argument was brewing. "In case you hadn't noticed, you two, his father is locked up in Azkaban, and somehow I don't think he'll kill me, because what will everyone say when he returns without me? It's stupid and far too dangerous. You've got to like it or lump it."

"Well if the bastard isn't going to murder you, he'll make your little mission unbearable. You hate each other, _remember_?" Ron was intent on drumming it into her head, as if she didn't already know.

"For goodness' sake, hate and kill isn't the same thing. If that were true, I'd have killed that mashed potato long ago..."

The two looked at the girl. "What? I hate mashed potato."

Over the next couple of days, Hermione, Ron and Harry's moods fluctuated grandly. Whilst Hermione was scribbling extensive notes and packing 1940's female clothing, Ron and Harry sat in Potions, or Transfiguration, or Charms. Those were the peaceful hours. Then they'd all retreat to the common room, or out on the grounds if it was decent weather. Then it was a mess of hugs and "How are we going to manage with our homework?" a jab in the side, a roll of the pupils and a genuine, "I don't know how we'll manage."

Then the tables would turn, a comment would be taken the wrong way and then it was, "You're being completely unfair! It's not my fault that I've been chosen along with Malfoy!"

"He's a complete _git_! You should complain to Dumbledore. For someone who's bright, you're shockingly unintelligent sometimes. Why do we even bother with you?"

"Oh? You think I let Dumbledore and that blond bigot walk over me like a doormat? I protested, you know!"

"Ha! Remember that punch in third year? You used to be brave, now you're working with _the enemy_. Now you're different. The old Hermione is dead to us."

"_Ron_! How could you say that? _How dare you_! You're a right foul git, you know that?"

"Guys…" Harry would attempt to step in here. To no avail.  
>"No, both of you can stay away from me!" Hermione would shriek at them, eyes wild, and hands shaking.<p>

Tea would be a sordid affair, plenty of ignoring each other, Hermione sitting in between Dean and Seamus. Dean was always calm and Seamus making jokes but patting her arm if she was close to tears. Once, she stole a glance towards the Slytherin table, where Pansy looked positively outraged, Blaise tense but trying to stay composed. Draco would stare resolutely at his meal which he would usually only eat half of, though Blaise would sometimes say, "Come on mate, you need to eat."

Like a slap in the face, it was time to go. A packed suitcase, her wand safely stowed away and dressed in a plain dress, black tights and laced up shoes, she clambered up to Dumbledore's study after a difficult (well, nobody said it was easy to part) goodbye with Ron and Harry. Malfoy was already there, in a white shirt and grey trousers. "Very Aryan." The girl shakily commented as Dumbledore wrapped the Time Turner around them. He rolled his eyes and clenched his mouth as they were forced to press themselves together.

Gravely, their headmaster says, "Make your way to the house you'll be staying in as soon as possible. I believe it's rather cold. The two other people there are a wizard and witch also, so you can perform magic with them. Last of all, _the best of British luck_."


End file.
